About Fused Glass
A short history of glass:
The earliest glass objects, mainly jewellery, have been found in Egypt & date back to 3500 BC. Later the Romans did much to spread the technique of glass production when they invaded Europe. Then, during the Middle Ages craftsmen produced magnificent stained glass windows for churches & cathedrals, many fine examples still seen today.
The 20th Century saw the "Arts & Crafts Movement" evolve with the legendary Charles Rennie McIntosh ( a Scot) & Louis Comfort Tiffany (an American) bring glass & design to a new & exciting artistic level.
Glass is created by the fusion of sand & fire & by adding minerals & salts the vibrant colours & patterns are produced with natural light transforming the glass.
From the mid 1970's specialist glass for art & architecture began manufacture in the USA where skilled craftspeople pour, roll & shape the moulten glass into sheets providing a wide choice of products in a sophisticated colour palette.
Breagha Glass Art:
Design begins with an idea, then onto a sketch, progressing to measuring, cutting, layering & stacking the glass to a design specification before being placed in the electric powered & computer controlled kiln, where a series of rapid heat cycles, with preset temperatures around 1490 F (810 C) are held at predetermined intervals to allow bonding, & finally, a process of slow cooling is essential to complete the fused glass art work process.
